Occurrence and behaviour of Mo containing precipitates in nodular cast iron at high temperatures

In nodular cast iron, molybdenum is alloyed in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 wt.-% to increase the mechanical properties for high temperature application, especially for thick walled castings like housings of gas or steam turbines. The behaviour of Mo precipitates in the as cast state as well as under long exposure to heat was the object of this investigation. In the as cast state, Mo forms metastable carbidic grain boundary precipitates with iron, silicon and carbon. These transform into stable MoC precipitates during sustained temperature influence. Furthermore, there are finely dispersed Mo containing precipitates found in the matrix. These increase the high temperature strength of Mo alloyed cast iron due to the Orowan mechanism and the occurrence of additional grain boundaries. However, it has been shown that these Mo containing precipitates underlie Ostwald ripening under continuous heat exposure, and a precipitate free area occurs along the ferritic grain boundary.